Role of Customs Agencies When importing goods into any country, a company must be totally familiar

When importing goods into any country, a company must be totally familiar with the customs operations of the importing country. In this context, "customs" refers to the country's import and export procedures and restrictions, not its cultural aspects. The primary duties of the US Customs Service, for example, are "the assessment and collection of all duties, taxes, and fees on imported merchandise, the enforcement of customs and related laws, and the administration of certain navigation laws and treaties". As a major enforcement organization, it "combats smuggling and frauds on the revenue and enforces the regulations of numerous other Federal agencies at port of entry and along the land sea borders of the United States". An importer needs to know how to clear goods, the duties that must be paid, and special laws that exist.

When merchandise reaches the port of entry, the importer must file documents with customs officials in which a tentative value and tariff classification are assigned to the merchandise. The US govemment has over 10 000 tariff classifications, and about 60% of them are subject to interpretation. That is, a particular product could fit more than one classification. In these cases, customs officials examine the goods to determine whether there are any restrictions on their importation. If there are none, the importer pays the duty and the goods are released. The amount of the duty depends on the product's country of origin, the type of product, and other factors.

A broker or other import consultant can help an importer minimize import duties by doing the following :

(1) Valuing products in such a way that they qualify for more favorable duty treatment. Different product categories have different duties. Finished goods usually have a higher duty than do parts and components.

(2)Qualifying for duty refunds through drawback provision. Some exporters use in their manufacturing process imported parts and components on which they paid a duty. In the United States, the drawback provision allows exporters to apply for a refund of 99% of the duty on the imported goods, provided the goods are used in the manufacture of goods that are exported.

(3) Deferring duties by using bonded warehouses and foreign trade zones. Companies do not have to pay duties on imports stored in bonded warehouses and foreign trade zones until the goods are removed for sale or used in a manufacturing process.

(4) Limiting liability by properly marking an import's country of origin. Governments assess duties on imports based in part on the country of origin, a lower duty on an import may be had by ensuring that the import's country of origin is accurate. In the United States, if an article or its container is not properly marked when it enters the country, a marking duty equal to 10% of the customs value of the article is assessed.

A direct identification drawback is permitted on imported merchandise that is actually used to manufacture goods for export, provided the imported goods are not used for final consumption domestically and are exported within a certain period of the import date. Sometimes domestic merchandise is substituted for merchandise that was imported for eventual export, in which case substitution drawback is permitted for duties on the imported merchandise.

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